The Rogue Hokage
by Silhouette of a Life
Summary: After the sealing is complete, the council gathers to decide the blonde Jinchūriki's fate. In the end out of desperation to save the child's life Sarutobi flees Konoha with a small bundle held protectively against his chest.
1. Choices and Decisions

Sarutobi rubbed his temples irritably as the council continued to argue over the boy, who was being sentenced to demise, despite the fact that he was barely a day old, and had sacrificed himself to save their miserable carcasses from death.

Staring at each member of the supposed "honourable" council members, Sarutobi felt his heart ache as he saw nothing more than power hungry men, damning a child to its grave. The old kage couldn't believe that he had grown up and watched these individuals before him, mature into what they were today.

"Sarutobi, you are making a very foolish decision," Danzo stated from his seat, beside the third's old team-mates.

"Danzo, I have already addressed your proposal numerous times, and again, my answer is still no. Naruto will not be turned into a living weapon of this village, he will have a normal life of his choosing and that's final!" Sarutobi said with a nerve-jangling tone, sending shivers down most of the council's spines.

The old cripple's eyes narrowed as Sarutobi completely disregarded his proposal, further proving the fact that his long time rival has lost his edge; the one thing that had made him the ideal candidate for Hokage. His hardened shinobi heart had softened to the point where his emotions interfered with his logic.

Danzo leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he planned. He would not address the issue concerning the Jinchūriki again, no something as simple as this could wait for a later date. Now, he had an entire different idea in mind, a plan so dangerous if it was discovered he would be executed immediately, no trial, and no excuses.

Even as Konohagakure's elite continued to bicker around him, Danzo's mind was furiously working, while also taking into account every suggestion and statement made by his fellow council members.

Even though the fate of a small child no longer mattered to him, it was always a good idea to at least know the entire discussion in case someone called for advice. Danzo's eyes stayed fixed on his Hokage's face as he, in a rare moment of weakness, revealed how weary, tired, and frail he truly had become over the years.

Without a doubt in his mind, Danzo knew what had to be done, for the survival and rebirth of his beloved village, Sarutobi Hiruzen had to be removed from his position as the leader of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

"He's a threat to the entire village! I demand we deal with the demon now, and prevent the bastard from ever re-emerging!" Fugaku Uchiha's voice rose above the roar of outrage in the council chamber.

Danzo's eyebrows rose at the blatant statement from the Uchiha clan head. It was one thing for him to demand the child be used to further the village's prosperity, but the Jōnin was playing with fire now. To just come out and make a decree that the child, the Hokage himself put under his protection, needed to be killed, was like slapping Sarutobi in the face and challenging him to a duel to the death.

"This is ludicrous he is nothing but a small child, he did not ask for this burden! I was trusted upon him by his father and the previous leader of this village," Sarutobi's voice was stern as he smothered the room with his killing intent.

"Are you all blinded by rage and loss of your loved ones that you cannot see the truth right before you. Naruto is not the Kyūbi reborn, he is the jailor who guards the prison and keeps the beast behind bars," Sarutobi said his voice beginning to crack, sadness evident in his eyes.

"For now he is Hokage-sama, but mark my words, when he is old enough he will be taken over by the demon," Fugaku stated, gaining the attention of everyone within the room.

"The seal, locking the Kyūbi within his belly was created by Minato himself, you doubt his seal will hold?" Sarutobi spat at the smug man.

Fugaku kept his smugness even in the face of the "Professor's" withering glare. While keeping his calm and collected facade, he addressed the entire council.

"We are all aware that our beloved Yondaime was taught by a seal master and became one master himself. But the fact remains, the fourth was only human... we are talking about a demon, no man could ever hope to defeat on his own," Fugaku finished while grinning on the inside, as he noticed the approving nods from some members.

"Yes, you are correct in that assumption Fugaku," Sarutobi said bitterly. "So you think murdering an innocent child in his sleep will forever rid us of the nine-tails?" It was addressed to Fugaku but it was answered by another council member.

"If I may, Hokage-sama?" Koharu asked politely. Sarutobi gave a small nod inclining her to speak. "For the safety of our beloved home, I ask you to re-consider. As long as the Kyūbi is allowed to remain alive, sealed or not. He is a danger to this village. No one can predict what will happen, or if the seal will be able to hold a being as powerful as the Kyūbi. So please Sarutobi, see the true threat this child presents to our home."

"You will condemn this boy to death out of fear of the unknown then?" A few nods were the reply to the third's question.

"Tell me honoured council, how do you know the Kyūbi will not be released by killing his vessel." Hiruzen smirked at the stunned faces that graced his blunt statement.

'_Nice move Sarutobi, but even if you manage to sway the council to your side, you will still lose!' _Danzo thought angrily.

"Ha!" Came the mocking laughter of Fugaku Uchiha. "How do we know that the demon has not already manipulated you Hokage-sama?" He asked smugly.

"We don't!" Fugaku answered without pause. "The seal right now is fully intact and holding the demon at bay. If we wait, the seal could weaken and the demon will gain control over this poor soul," Fugaku said with a saddened expression as he motioned to the sleeping boy with his hand. On the inside however the _Sharingan_ wielder had a devilish smirk. All it would take was his next few words and then the demon wouldn't be a hindrance to his plans.

Sarutobi glared at the Uchiha clan head, it was no secret that half the Uchiha's had been wiped out by the fox, so Fugaku's animosity towards the child was to be expected.

"Listen to me my fellow council members! We can save this child from the demons clutches, by ending his life. Uzumaki Naruto can find peace and solace, or will you all stand by and watch as his soul is devoured by the Kyūbi, like our fallen friends and family?" Fugaku's smug grin was back as he looked all around him, seeing his fellow members digesting his words.

"Regardless to your personal feelings on the matter Fugaku, I am still Hokage, and as such, I have already stated no harm will ever come to this child. Do I make myself clear?" Sarutobi shot back, making Fugaku cringe at the kage's frosty tone.

Satisfied with his words the wizened shinobi walked away from the council, and turned his attention to the infant laying in a crib in the middle of the room.

Fugaku seeing no other option to remove the child, discreetly drew the kunai he had hidden within his robe's sleeve.

Danzo sighed as he caught the silver glint from the weapon the foolish clan head subtly drew from his robes. "Foolish," He muttered, but said or did nothing else to stop the proceedings.

Fugaku was preparing to deliver the killing blow when a hand grabbed his wrist twisting it, forcing him to release his hold on the kunai. Sarutobi turned around to see his personal ANBU guard stationed around Fugaku, their weapons drawn and being held against the Uchiha clan head.

Sarutobi glanced around the council chambers to judge all the different expressions on the council member's faces.

"Fugaku your personal hate for this child, and the act of treason you committed is unforgivable." Sarutobi stated heatedly. "Therefore you shall be imprisoned until a suitable punishment for your actions has been decided." With a quick hand gesture, two ANBU members grabbed Fugaku and escorted him out of the room. He followed along quietly muttering curses under his breath.

An eerie silence permitted throughout the room, everyone still shocked by the Uchiha clan head's action.

Sarutobi held Naruto protectively against his chest and deliberately walked closer to the remaining council members. "Is there any other objections, concerning young Uzumaki Naruto's fate?" Silence was the Sandaime's reply as he nodded his head.

"Very well, this meeting is adjourned."

Hiruzen fell into a chair, his back smacking against the wooden furniture. After pacing for numerous hours trying to come to a decision of what his next move should be, he came up with only a few options.

It was obvious to him that it would be a long night. Two ANBU squads were situated around the tower preventing anyone from entering. Still, he wasn't foolish enough to believe that he could rest peacefully on this night.

It was clear that many wanted nothing more than the Kyūbi's vessel to die, believing him to be nothing but the demon's very reincarnation. Which to him was a ridiculous thought; he was a hero, not a monster.

A cry startled him, and Sarutobi found himself engrossed in the most magnificent sapphire eyes he had ever seen. His hands lifted the bundle off the wooden surface, and he wrapped his aged arms around the crying child.

Sarutobi felt a pang in his chest and tears slid down his face; he knew the hero of the village would be seen as nothing but a demon.

Darkness blanketed Konoha as thousands of souls rested; hoping that tomorrow would never come. For the Village Hidden in the Leaves would be reminded of its terrible tragedy and loss of their loved ones.

A silhouette moved swiftly across the silent village, slipping past patrols by hiding in the shadows cast by the towering buildings.

After disarming a few traps and slipping by a few more patrols, the shinobi found himself just outside the Hokage's office doors.

As efficient as only the most professional ninjas could muster, the man opened the door and made his way into the Sandaime's office without a sound.

He stood over the sleeping form of the aged leader, resting peacefully in his leather chair. A kunai slid from his sleeves and placed a mere inch from the slumbering mans neck.

"Forgive me Hokage-sama," He whispered, as he slid the blade across, slicing Sarutobi's throat, blood spilling out. The man eye's widened in terror before glazing over and becoming lifeless.

The murderer offered a quick bow and silent prayer to the dead leader. He turned to leave when the air around him shifted and he found himself sprawling across the office floor. Bile and blood filled his mouth, and before he could make a noise a hand gripped his neck and a blade was driven into his side.

Sarutobi immediately spotted the Konoha headband and recognised the man from his mask as a member of ANBU, he showed no surprise or emotion in discovering one of his own men had tried to kill him. He watched with apathy as he removed the shinobi's mask, the ANBU immediately coughed up blood.

"Who sent you?" He demanded, weakening his grip around the ninja's throat so he could answer.

The man groaned and gurgled on his own blood, before smiling. "Forgive me Hokage-sama, my actions were of my own choice. I am ashamed to say it was by my decision that I attempted to assassinate you."

Sarutobi blinked and stepped back as if he had been slapped in the face. After a moment his shock at the man's response wore off. He glared at the ANBU officer and snapped the ninjas arm.

To the man's credit he did not cry out at the sounds of his own bones snapping echoed off the walls of the room. He stared back unflinchingly even as the Sandaime levelled some of his potent killer intent, smothering him in it.

"Do not try to lie to me boy. Now who sent you?" Sarutobi's voice was stern, promising retribution if the incorrect answer was given.

The man smiled again, Sarutobi noticed that his eyes were filled with sorrow, and pleading him for forgiveness.

"Why have you done this?"

The ANBU officer's smile turned grim at the disappointment in his leader's words.

"For the village sir," The shinobi stated weakly, his opinion without even the slightest hesitation.

"Under your rule the demon will destroy us all. You cannot see the truth Hokage-sama, for the demon has already sunk its claws into you," Hiruzen found tears sliding down his cheeks as he listened to the young man in his grasp

"Tell me, are you the only one who believes this?" Sarutobi asked sadly unable to keep his oppressive and powerful appearance anymore.

"No, Hokage-sama," He said without missing a beat. Sarutobi's eyes darkened.

"Very well," With a quick chop to the neck, the man fell unconscious.

The aged shinobi carefully laid the body down gently and slowly began walking towards his desk. Biting down on the tip of his index finger, the Hokage slid the bloody digit across the side of the wooden desk. A glowing seal appeared before vanishing in a flash of light, replaced by a small button sticking out.

Sarutobi pressed the button without hesitation and watched as the wall to his left slid open, revealing a hidden room.

He stepped into the room with a small sac hanging from his hands. Quickly, he grabbed many of the hidden scrolls aligning the room's walls.

When he sealed all of the different scrolls into a sealing scroll, he placed it in the bag, along with a few other items and a couple bottles of milk.

A small bundle in the corner of the sealed room started shifting as if it were alive. Sarutobi picked the bundle up and smiled happily at the blond haired child with whiskered scars adorning his cheeks, wrestling with the blanket wrapped around his tiny form.

"Uzumaki Naruto, I swear to you on this night, I will protect you with all my strength. Until I breathe my last breath, I will be your guardian and teacher. Most importantly, I will love and care for you as my own child." Sarutobi whispered, before placing his finger to the baby's forehead, a green light emitting from his finger. Naruto blinked a few times before yawning and falling asleep.

Sarutobi placed the sealed note at the bottom of the memorial stone and covered it in some leaves and grass. He stared out over his village and with a final sigh, vanished in a swirl of leaves.

* * *

I have a new beta for this story, so all of the chapters are being re-done. Everyone thank my new beta King of the Frozen Tundra. So if there is any mistakes at all he's to blame...not me.


	2. What Will You Find?

Daylight was just beginning to break through the forestry. Judging from this, he was able to determine the time of day. "Six twenty-two. In another eight minutes we will no longer be among the living, Naruto-kun." Hiruzen muttered sadly to himself as he continually jumped from branch to branch.

Sarutobi came to a sudden halt on a particularly larger branch. Placing his back against the trunk of the tree, he set the mask previously hiding his facial features down beside him on the wood. With both hands he pulled Naruto from beneath the black robes he had acquired from the now dead Anbu who had tried to murder him. Sarutobi removed the sheets wrapped around Naruto and took a brief moment to inspect the baby. With his free hand he reached into his sac and retrieved a bottle of formula. It was cold, but unfortunately there was not enough time to spend to heat the milk up. Naruto would have to deal with it, for they only had about five minutes before they needed to be moving again.

Sarutobi watched with kind eyes as Naruto stared curiously at the bottle being held in front of him. Another moment passed before he shoved the nub into his mouth and began greedily consuming the bottle's contents.

As Naruto gulped the bottle down, Sarutobi had his senses going in overdrive. Trying to sense the presence of anyone within the vicinity. A few seconds of searching, proved that only he and the boy in his arms were within a mile radius all around their location.

He leaned back allowing his head to rest against the trunk as well. Closing his eyes, Sarutobi took a moment to rest and relax, before they would have to move again. Even with his eyes closed his ears were still listening for anything to indicate any kind of movement made by another being.

With his body resting from their speedy escape, his mind was furiously thinking over the council meeting the day before.

Something about that meeting had been bothering him. It was natural, and he expected the council to demand the nine tails vessels death, but for Fugaku to openly defy him like that in a room surrounded by his own Anbu was not only stupidity it was suicide.

Everything about the whole ordeal just screamed to the runaway Hokage that something was off. Even his rival, who tried to undermine him and gain political power at every chance, had stayed suspiciously quiet. Especially after the fact the cripple had been demanding during most of the meeting, for him to just hand Naruto over to him on a silver platter, so he could turn him into the ultimate weapon. For him to just stop all arguments and sit in silence without remarks or pointing out what he deemed as flaws in the way he ran the village, only furthered his suspicion of the events that proceeded during the whole ordeal with the council.

Sarutobi's inner thoughts were interrupted as the sound of Naruto trying to suck milk out of an empty bottle pulled him out of his contemplative mood. Grabbing the bottle he slid it out of the infants tiny hands and back into the sac from whence it came. Naruto having been fed went right back to sleep, Sarutobi sighed out of relief. A crying baby was the last thing he needed while trying to evade all living beings and remain invisible to everything around him.

Placing Naruto back into the sling in his robes, he stood up cracking his back as he straightened his body. Sarutobi's eyes glanced around the forest, before he settled on a direction and continued his long journey through the never ending forest.

Truthfully, Sarutobi had a sure plan mapped out for where they were going to go. He had spent many hours after council meeting considering the best course of action to take. So, when he decided for Naruto's benefit, leaving the village was the best option with the greatest outcome for not only the boy's survival but happiness as well. Many hours were spent thinking of where the two should go to hide. For he refused to be improperly prepared when the time came for them to leave.

Being Hokage of one of the five great shinobi villages allowed him excess to countless amounts of information concerning other countries. So while baby Naruto snored away, Sarutobi had devoted most of his night to formulating a plan. First thing was to figure out where to go, if and when he escaped from Konoha. Sunagakure was the first option to enter the aged Hokage's mind. It would be dangerous though, due to the treaty, if he was discovered. Konoha would be made aware of his position immediately. Suna would also be one of the first villages to be informed of his current status. So, he stored Wind Country away as a possible option for later.

Kumogakure was ruled by a power hungry leader. The Raikage's ambitions were known to almost everyone within the elemental countries. Since it was no secret he desired the eyes of the Hyuuga to further his villages power and position among the five. No, he couldn't bring Naruto to serve under a ruler with that kind of mindset.

Water country, for the time, was ruled out for the fact Sarutobi had heard rumours of a civil war possibly taking place. He placed Mizu no Kuni under a maybe, if the current situation is ever resolved.

Then, there is the last and final of the five great nations, Rock Country. It had taken very little time for Sarutobi to decide was not the best of choices or for the matter even an option to flee to, for obvious reasons Earth country wasn't on the best of terms with Fire country. Which made him reconsider his previous opinion, truthfully Iwagakure had desired nothing more then to crush Konoha beneath their feet, had it not been for the heroics of Minato Namikaze they just might have succeeded. Still, Iwa would be the last place he would be searched for, it was a dangerous bet but unlike his former student Tsunade, he actually had a sliver of luck.

The smaller villages had crossed the previous Hokages mind as well: Grass, Rain, Waterfall, and Snow. While the thought of hiding in these villages sounded appealing, Sarutobi knew it would be the worst possible choice. Konoha, being a major power and having an alliance between these shinobi villages, would be given free rein to search each village without much commotion. Which would only end bad if he or Naruto were to be discovered. No, at the present time Sarutobi had made his decision, the most unlikely of places for him to hide in Earth Country, and that would be their home till everything calmed down.

With the plan he had organized, the duo would never be able to return to Konoha. For as long as they were believed to be among the deceased the search for them, hopefully, would only last a few months at the most.

Sarutobi still loved his village with all of his heart, but this child and his family had made such great sacrifices for the safety of the village. How could he rule over Konoha, knowing the village hero would be treated as the monster who, not more then a day ago, had been trying to crush it beneath its mighty paws? He had overlooked many things done by his people, but not this time. This time, he would do what was in the best interest of a child, who just so happened to have saved thousands of lives.

'It's already too late to turn back anyway.' The fleeing Hokage thought sadly as he landed in a crouch on another tree branch.

For now it was imperative that he and Naruto reach the border of fire country. So banishing his previous thoughts of self doubt, Sarutobi increased his speed and made a mad dash for the border separating Fire and Earth.

Straining his vision to see further ahead, Sarutobi found himself sighing out of relief as he came to the conclusion that they would reach Grass Country shortly.

Naruto continued to slumber, hidden within the Hokage's borrowed Anbu outfit. Looking back to the sky, Hiruzen found a small smile appearing on his face.

"Six-thirty….Goodbye Konoha."

If you asked anyone within Konoha what they liked about mornings, they would most likely all respond with the same reply 'It's peaceful, quiet, calm and relaxing.'

Except on this sunny morning the village was anything but peaceful. People were fleeing for their lives screaming about an invasion. Ninja's were rushing around trying to keep everyone calm and quiet, as they themselves tried to figure out what was happening.

One Hatake Kakashi had been having a great morning, he got up early like usual. Went through his normal morning routine before making his way to the memorial stone, to offer a prayer to his fallen friends, family and recently deceased sensei.

On the outside Kakashi seemed as impassive as ever. In truth, he was broken, his insides were a mess of tangled emotions. Everyone he ever cared for seemed to be dying and leaving him alone to mourn their deaths. Ever since Obito had died Kakashi wished it had been him instead. He wanted his old friend to be the one getting up each day and remembering him as a hero. Obito Uchiha and Rin Inuzuka were the two reasons he lived each day, their memories were what kept him alive and breathing through all the pain.

So, just like every other morning in Konoha. The copy cat ninja's feet moved, almost robotically, as he made his way through the village streets glancing at all the damage caused by the beast who had not even stepped within the village walls.

His pace was leisurely and carefree as he strolled through the ruins. Kakashi's eye however was roaming over everything. Simply amazed by the destruction caused from just a swish of the demon's tails. The Kyuubi could bring down entire buildings, maybe even a whole village, with just a simple swift of one of its gigantic furry appendages. Had his Sensei not confronted the beast with the Shiki Fuin, Konoha would be nothing more then scorched dirt.

He made a left and headed on a trail leading into trees. A minute later he emerged from the trail and entered into a large clearing with short cut grass and a large marble stone in the middle. Without even thinking about it his feet once again mechanically dragged him along to his destination, the memorial stone.

As reached the polished stone a giant boom greeted his arrival. Kakashi immediately drew a kunai and got in a stance. After a minute, he realised the explosion hadn't been anywhere near him.

His normal morning priorities were left forgotten as he made a mad dash back to the village, to investigate the explosion.

At the memorial stone a breeze blew by, picking up loose grass and blowing it away. At the base of the stone a white letter with the official seal of the Hokage rested in plain sight for anyone who walked by to see.

At approximately 6:57 AM an emergency session of the council was called. Despite the fact not just twenty-seven minutes earlier the Sandaime Hokage's office literally exploded. The cause of the explosion was still being investigated by the Anbu, but they believed it was done by a certain amount of exploding tags spread out among the room.

"This meeting is now in session." Homura announced.

All silent murmuring ceased immediately, and the council chamber fell deathly silent.

"As myself and Homura are the eldest of the council members we therefore have seniority. So, it is our duty to run this meeting properly." Koharu said briskly.

"At exactly six-thirty this morning an unimaginable crime was committed." she said severely. "According to the Anbu, Hokage-Sama's office was ignited by exploding tags."

As the words left her mouth pandemonium broke out. Mutterings and accusations flew around the room a mile a minute.

"SILENCE!" Homura shouted, once again a deathly silence prevailed. "My fellow council members order must be kept."

"What of Hokage-Sama?" Inoichi inquired.

"A body was found, our top medics are already checking the body for confirmation." Koharu answered quickly. "They shall verify if it is indeed that of our beloved Sandaime."

"And what exactly will be done if it is Hokage-Sama?" Came the intelligent voice of Hiashi Hyuuga.

"It does not matter if that be the body of the Hokage or not." The reply came from Danzo with his head on his hand, his elbow balanced on the seat he was on. " Anbu have conducted a thorough search of Konoha already in case the possibility that the burnt body belonged to Sarutobi's attacker."

Danzo paused and looked Hiashi right dead in his completely white pupils. "If that is indeed the body of Hiruzen Sarutobi in the morgue then a funeral shall be held tomorrow, but…" The old cripple held back the smirk creeping on his face, as ten pairs of eyes were glued to him. "If the body belongs to another, then the Hokage has abandoned us all."

"How dare you accuse Hokage-Sama of betraying us!" Homura spit out indignantly. Danzo rubbed at his eye irritably, as he ignored the other shouts of blasphemy.

"Tell me Homura, did they find the remains of the jinchuriki?"

Homura looked stunned at first by the question. After a moment he shook his head, looking away at the floor. Confirming Danzo's proclamation that the child Uzumaki Naruto was indeed not found within the wreckage, meaning he could very will still be alive.

"Of course, there's always the possibility whomever killed Hokage-sama was sent to kidnap the child in the first place." Shikaku Nara pointed out, with his head laying on his arms.

Danzo sighed, rubbing his fingertips along his temples, trying to reign in his temper. It wasn't the fault of the shadow user that he didn't let him finish. It just didn't sit well with the cripple, that maybe Sarutobi had been killed. No, even though the old fool believed in peace, he was not weak. A mere Jounin would be slaughtered by the Professor himself. Danzo found himself rubbing his temples even harder then usual. What did it matter of he did die? As long as Hiruzen was no longer digging this village an early grave, he cared not if his old rival survived or not.

"Then, we shall have a brief recess until the autopsy is completed." Koharu said, standing up and heading for the door with her team mate Homura.

"Tenzou-san." The leaf Jounin gave a small inclination of his head, in greeting to his fourteen year old superior. "You think it's true that Hokage-Sama was murdered?"

Tenzou had a grim look on his face as he addressed his fellow shinobi. "I don't know what to believe anymore Kakashi-San." Tenzou stated sadly, his eyes staring at the destroyed office of the Sandaime. "There are rumours going around, that the demon vessel of the Kyuubi is the cause of all this." The younger boy said as he gestured with his hands to the wreckage.

Kakashi remained impassive at his friends words and just turned to look at the Hokage tower with him.

"No…that's not possible!" Kakashi said after a moment. "Sensei's seal was perfect. No, something fishy is going on here Tenzou."

Tenzou nodded his head in reply. He suspected the same thing. With a salute to Kakashi he disappeared. Kakashi snorted. No doubt, he had just sparked his friends interest to investigate further into this situation.

Not wanting to be the only one out of the loop, Kakashi rushed into the tower as well. He would get to the bottom of this, for his Hokage and his Sensei's son.

Danzo smiled as the medics report on the autopsy was brought forth to the council. His eyes briefly scanned the document in his grasp. He didn't bother reading every inch of the report, for he already knew what it said. His small smile turned into a grin as he clenched the paper in his hands, how he loved being right.


	3. The Unknown Guest

Sarutobi gritted his teeth as he walked through the neck high grass. He was passing through Kusa on his way to Iwa. He made sure to stay towards the border as he made his way towards the Village of Stone.

Naruto was sleeping soundly in his makeshift sling. He had been sleeping ever since they made it to the border, which in his eyes was rather impressive.

He stopped when he felt something up ahead. He dropped down to a crouch to hide in the tall grass. He couldn't see them. The swampy floor beneath the thick grass made him curse inwardly. It squished and splashed when he was sneaking through it, but now he might have been caught.

There a rustle in one of the few dark trees in the field of tall grass. He couldn't see anything through the thick stuff. He closed his eyes, listening for anything. Wood sliding on wood sounded so low he would have missed it had he not been holding still. Something was up ahead.

He pulled Naruto free from his sling, placing him on the ground to avoid any fighting with the infant. He did not need him holding him back if this was an ambush. Sarutobi made a quick hand sign while muttering something under his breath.

Something moved in the distance. His eyes snapped up to see it. Light was reflecting off of something smooth and shiny in the distance. A headband. He couldn't see the emblem on it. A long hollow stick was in his lips as he looked around for something.

A crunch sounded behind him. He turned his head to see another with the same thing on another tree.

Two of them. Not good.

One of them shook his head as something hit him in the eyes. A faint trace of light was momentarily stopping him.

A third one was in the area and by his actions, rather smart.

The former Hokage looked up at the first one that was looking for him. He froze, inhaled, and fired. Sarutobi cursed for the fraction of a second he had before something sharp came spinning quickly at him. A dart. He realised as he rolled out of the way and jumped up into the tree. No need for stealth now.

A blur landed in front of him, a rusty katana out to block his kunai. Once again he cursed. The third guy was waiting in ambush for his attack. The second one inhaled sharply. Sarutobi cursed. The man that was blocking him kicked him in the ribs, forcing the air from his lungs and sending him back into the swampy field.

Sarutobi splashed down into the mud, grunting with pain before rolling backwards. Darts peppered the ground from left to right where he'd been and where they'd expected him to move to. He sank down in the mud, cursing inwardly.

He didn't have time for this and Naruto was probably about to start crying since the child had awakened when he put him down.

* * *

Kaji looked around in the thick grass from his perch in the trees. Their team leader Ishida was beside him. Rain was in the other tree looking for the target.

"I don't see him," Kaji whispered.

"He's still alive. You missed him. Both of you missed him." Ishida replied. "Stay sharp. Remember, we need to make sure we can still confirm it's him. Otherwise the bounty will be a bitch for us to grab." He reminded. Kaji nodded.

The grass parted. Kaji and Rain fired dart after dart on the moving grass before a blur shot out of it. Ishida blocked the blur with his rusty katana. It was their target, Konoha ANBU Tiger.

Sarutobi forced him into the ground, when a second appeared. Kunai flying from the clones hands as he jumped through the air.

The two dart firing men opened fire again. Dart after dart followed the two, all of them missed until only Kaji was firing. Who was unaware until it was right in his face. Sarutobi appeared, bloody kunai in hand, and stabbed him in the jugular, ripping it down and out in one motion. Kaji fell into the swamp dead. His body made a loud splash when he hit.

Ishida got up, destroying the two clones of Sarutobi as he did. _Smart guy. He lives up to his name, _he thought. He glanced up to see Sarutobi standing above him, kunai in each hand. Ishida shook his head. "You're worth more than the trouble you're causing me, you know that right?" Sarutobi raised a brow.

"I'll give you one chance to leave." Ishida shook his head. "Pity then," Sarutobi jumped down, his kunai out front. Ishida swung his sword. The kunai blocked it, but he wasn't as strong as Ishida. He managed to force Sarutobi off balance, as he used his heavy body to push him back.

Sarutobi stumbled to his feet, quickly regaining his bearings and dived in for another strike at the sword wielder.

Metal screeched against metal as the two weapons collided. Ishida pushed through his block and cut his head off. A cloud of smoke exploded from the body.

_A clone!? _Blood filled his mouth. Ishida looked down. A kunai was in his chest and stomach with his target in front of him. "But how..."

"When I first went to the ground after you knocked me down, I made some clones. I'll admit my body isn't what it used to be, you also caught me by surprise, but I was able to make three clones. I simply waited until the right moment." Ishida blinked and then collapsed over dead.

Sarutobi took a second and inhaled a breath of fresh air. That had been dangerous. Had they found Naruto, things would have taken a turn for the worse. He didn't want to even think about Minato's son being in that kind of situation.

Sarutobi removed the cloth covering the apparent leader of the groups face. He instantly recognized the man, Yumaro Ishida. Kusa's very own Jounin missing Nin.

Reaching around his back he gripped the handle of the chokuto he had bought from a store a few miles back. Drawing it he made quick work as he hacked through Ishida's neck, severing his head from the rest of the body.

After the deed was done, Hiruzen reached into the bag still draped over his shoulders and pulled out a medium sized scroll with his bloody hands.

The scroll opened with a click; unrolling it he set the scroll on the muddy terrain. With empathy he picked up the head and placed it in the middle off the scroll, right on top of the kanji for human.

Concentrating Sarutobi began gathering his chakra; he needed to add just the right amount for the size, shape and item to be sealed. To seal different objects into a scroll he needed to things: a formula and a representation. The formula was the seal placed on the scroll itself and the amount of chakra used. Where the representation is the kanji which describes the item being sealed.

With the correct formula and representation, the object could then be sealed without worrying about the sealing being done improperly which could be disastrous when the time to unseal the object came.

"Seal." and with a simple hand sign, the once bleeding head vanished being stored away within the scroll.

Stretching as he stood Sarutobi silently rolled up the scroll and placed it securely back into his sac. Fluidly pulled out another one and headed over to the next body without pause.

Two more scrolls later Hiruzen had each and every member of the rogue ninjas who had tried to kill him for his bounty, which actually caused him to chuckle. They had been after the bounty of the ANBU codenamed as Tiger; shaking his head the runaway Hokage could feel no pity for the unlucky bunch of missing Nin.

A cry startled him out of his thoughts, his mind then snapped at him, 'Naruto' he'd forgotten him back where he hid the infant.

Running as fast as his legs would move Sarutobi stopped before an old tree stump. He gazed at the piece of wood as if it were his own child.

"Kai!" he muttered with a simple hand sign and the wooden stump turned into a blue-eyed blonde baby, wrapped in a small blanket.

Gingerly he picked up the baby and instantly the crying stopped. Naruto was now giggling while Sarutobi cradled him in his arms.

A look of pure horror replaced Hiruzen's smiling visage as a foul stench invaded his nostrils. Looking at the cheerful infant Sarutobi found himself delicately handling the baby as he positioned Naruto's diaper away from him.

Sighing, Sarutobi decided to face this threat head on and laid Naruto down on some muddy grass. Looking at the diaper filled full of poop with even a little seeping out of the side, he just knew the next few years of his life were going to be troublesome.

* * *

Danzo sat hunched over a blazing fire, idly poking at the hot coals with his cane out of boredom. Two days had passed and still the council would not believe that there precious Sandaime had betrayed them. Snorting Danzo stroked the coals more forcefully causing some to crackle and fly into the air.

What more did those old fools need to see, even with all the evidence pointing to Sarutobi escaping with the demon; they refused to accept the fact. The third had abandoned his village and people for a demon.

A grin of satisfaction appeared on his scarred face as he thought about the council meeting yesterday. Now Danzo had no doubt in his mind, freeing Fugaku from captivity had been a wise decision. Just the look on most of the council members' faces was enough to return the favour he granted the Uchiha clan head.

**Flashback:**

"What gives you the authority to release this traitor?" Koharu said frostily, gesturing to the unshackled form of Uchiha Fugaku.

"Tell me Koharu." Danzo inquired mischief gleaming in his single eye. "How do you have the audacity to call this man a traitor?"

The shocked look on the old hags face was priceless in Danzo's mind. "If I remember correctly this man, has committed no crime except trying to remove the only obstacle leading to Konoha's destruction." The cripple stated eyes narrowed and glaring hostilely at the former Hokage's teammate.

Danzo was far from done using the situation to his advantage. "Please enlighten me about what he has done to deserve a lifetime imprisonment?"

"He disobeyed a direct order from the Hokage and tried to strike him down when his back was turned." Shikaku said lifting his head up off the table from where he was just snoozing.

Danzo snorted as Fugaku took a step forward, a menacing look on his face. "You think I'm a gutless coward who'd strike a man in the back, let alone or own Hokage…" He yelled furiously at the lazy shinobi.

"No I simply saw what none of you could…the truth. I told you we should have killed the demon when we had the chance, but none of you listened to, me. Now look at what has happened. Because you all believed in a foolish old man who couldn't see the child for what he is, a demon in human flesh."

"Fugaku you're a man who would do anything to further his own power." Hiashi Hyuuga offhandedly commented, arms crossed and eyes closed.

"This matter is much larger than your petty clan feuds Hiashi." Danzo snapped irritably at the calm Hyuuga. "Now back to business…In this time of need Konoha is without a leader." Danzo said addressing the biggest concern on everyone's mind.

"We must prove to the other nations our strength. With Sarutobi gone….it doesn't matter rather he abandoned us or if he was murdered." Danzo said quickly as some of the clan heads were glaring at him and no doubt about to interrupt. "The fact remains we are in a very dangerous situation. If we do not elect a new candidate to be the Godaime, we could very well be invaded."

Most of the glares were replaced by curious or disbelieving expressions. Danzo stood smug beside Fugaku as he let his words sink in.

"What proof do you have concerning this delicate situation Danzo?" Koharu said acting as the head of the council. Danzo had a small smile on his face a few more tweaks and Konoha would be in his palm.

"Once news reaches Iwa about the death of Namikaze Minato by the Kyuubi no Kitsune, Stone will be launching a full on invasion against us. Even if they had any doubts of defeating us, with Sarutobi's defection we're open game to the rest of the elemental nations. Unless we demonstrate that we are indeed still one of the five great villages, I'm afraid war might be on the horizon."

The entire chamber immediately broke out in hushed whispers; finally, Homura silenced them and spoke up. "Without anything concrete your speculations are just those… speculations." Homura paused as he cleared his throat. "Bring us significant evidence to proof your accusations, until then we shall wait to name who shall be the Godaime Hokage."

As one Danzo and Fugaku turned and left the council chambers, for they both knew today there goals would not progress any further.

They strolled quietly through the streets of Konoha neither turning or acknowledging the other. Both gazed at the damage and ruins Konoha had become, even with all the repairs already being done the village wasn't recognizable to either.

Finally they reached a building concealed away from the general public and most of the shinobi population as well. Danzo and Fugaku walked in neither worried nor cared if someone were to see them enter this place.

Many shinobi with ANBU styled masks and uniforms bowed to the war hawk as he walked by, after taking a few flights of stairs both men came to a stop in front of giant steel door. The only noteworthy thing about the door was the indentation of a hand situated near the middle of the large hunk of metal.

Placing his hand in the indentation of the cold steel, Danzo generated some of his chakra through the door. The door beeped twice before sliding open revealing a room designed to be an exact replica of the Hokage's office.

Fugaku followed closely behind the cripple as he walked into the room. The door closing behind them, not even ten seconds after crossing the threshold into the room.

Danzo set his cane down leaning it against the desk he sat behind, while Fugaku sat in the seat directly across from the old shinobi.

"So you're absolutely positive the old fools will be naming a new Hokage after this…" Fugaku spoke after a moment of silence passed between the two council members.

Danzo sat comfortably in his leather chair and sipped at the steaming tea which was waiting on his desk the moment they entered.

Not a sound was made as the tea cup was placed back on the desk. Fugaku stared at the leader of Root awaiting his reply.

Flicking his eye to his accomplice, Danzo's steel gaze watched him for a few moments before closing. "Fugaku…Sarutobi's influence is greater then you believe. If there is even the slightest possibility that a war could break out, the council will do anything within their power to prevent it at all costs."

A grin managed to sneak its way onto the Uchiha's face. "Good…once I am Hokage and we are back to full strength you shall get your war."

Danzo narrowed his eyes. "A war is the last thing I want Fugaku. But in order for peace to rein all the other powers most crumble into dust. Only when this nation is brought together and ruled under one leader, can the vision of peace last.

Fugaku shook his head. "Peace? My friend there is no such thing as peace. We are shinobi, even if you were to conquer every nation there would always be a resistance. Amongst man like us peace can never exist. Regardless, power is the only thing important in this world."

Fugaku rose from his seat and turned away, heading for the door in which he entered. Pausing he glanced back at the war hawk once again sipping at his tea.

"I hope you can keep your end of the bargain Danzo?"

"You have nothing to fear Fugaku, by the end of the week the title of Hokage shall be yours." Danzo said as he pressed a button on his desk and the door slid open. Nodding Fugaku left, the door slamming shut a moment later, leaving Danzo to his own thoughts.

Danzo had a wide grin on his face as he looked out of a window, starring at his village. His hands once again brought the cooled tea cup to his mouth, as he wondered how much of a difference Sarutobi's absence would create. His eyes watched the setting sun, tomorrow would bring not only a new dawn, but a new way of life for Konoha.

"It's a shame the power you seek will never be yours to command." Danzo muttered to himself. "I have big plans for this world, which don't include you Fugaku."

A gentle knock resounded around the room, shaking the man out of his thoughts.

Danzo waited a moment before answering. "Enter."

One of his Root agents entered with a man trailing behind him. Danzo eyed the newcomer, the man had a black cloak covering himself, making it impossible to see anything but the man's face, Which of course was covered by a plain white mask with an insane grin stretching across it.

"Sooooo…" He drawled. "How much will it cost for these two." Danzo spoke as the root agent handed the cloak man two files.

The mystery man skimmed over both files before handing them back to the same shinobi.

"The usual for the boy." The man said in a high pitched voice, as he sunk into the floor disappearing from view. "Free of charge for the old man."

His underling bowed before hastily exiting in a swirl of leaves.

**Flashback end:**

Danzo stopped stroking the fire, letting his cane fall to the floor, as he leaned back in his chair and sighed tiredly. Who knew how those events were going to affect the future?

* * *

So I'm thinking about adding in time skips but I still haven't decided exactly when and where to put them in, don't worry the Godaime shall be named and some other things will happen before I start skipping through years. Now for the part where I thank everyone who helped in this chapter. First off everyone thank Myevltwin for not only betaing this chapter, but for writing the fight scene. Next lord of the land of fire, big thanks to you for helping me with the whole seal theory, without your help I don't think this chapter would be finished right now. If you haven't already go read both of these authors stories and of course don't forget to review. Thanks for reading, later everyone.


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